DETROIT -- Joe Girardi might see a familiar face staring back across the field from him next season when the Yankees play the Red Sox.

His bench coach, Tony Peña, who managed the Royals from 2002-05, talked with the Red Sox on Monday about their managerial opening.

Peña, the 2003 AL Manager of the Year, has not managed since resigning early in the 2005 season with the Royals off to an 8-25 start. The man who hired him in Kansas City, then-GM Allard Baird, now works in the Red Sox front office as vice president of player personnel.

Dodgers third-base coach Tim Wallach already has interviewed for the job and the Red Sox confirmed, according to ESPNboston.com, that Orioles third-base coach DeMarlo Hale will interview Thursday. According to WEEI.com, Padres special assistant Brad Ausmus also will interview later in the week.

Peña joined Joe Torre's staff in 2006 and interviewed for the manager's job, which eventually went to Girardi, in 2007. Peña served as first-base coach from 2006-08 and has been Girardi's bench coach since 2009.

"Tony's a great baseball man," Mark Teixeira said. "He's the ultimate field general. You couldn't ask for a better baseball man. I know we love Tony here. He's one of those guys that really meshes well with our clubhouse.''

It happened quickly for Jayson Nix, a 30-year-old utilityman happy to be in his first postseason, going from reserve to replacement for Yankees icon Derek Jeter.

"I am very disappointed for Derek. I hate the fact that he has gone down," Nix said. "I know it's hard on him. That part, I hate it for him. But at the same time, I'm excited for my opportunity to be able to play. And ever since these playoffs started, I've really just been kind of itching to get in these games."

Tough climbing

With Sunday's victory, the Tigers became the 23rd team in LCS history to take a 2-0 series lead since the advent of the best-of-seven format in 1985. All but three of the previous 22 advanced to the World Series. The 2004 Red Sox (against the Yankees), 1985 Royals (against the Blue Jays) and 1985 Cardinals (against the Dodgers) advanced despite losing the first two games. Those Red Sox, of course, are the only major-league team ever to advance after losing the first three.